FORM U-3A-2 File No. 69-248 SECURITIES & EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. Statement by Holding Company Claiming Exemption Under Rule U-3A-2 from the Provisions of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY hereby files with the Securities & Exchange Commission, pursuant to Rule U-3A-2, its statement claiming exemption as a holding company from the provisions of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935. In support of such claim for exemption, the following information is submitted: 1. Southwestern Energy Company, an Arkansas corporation, is located at 1083 Sain Street, Fayetteville, Arkansas (P.O. Box 1408, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72702-1408). Southwestern Energy Company is a holding company with seven wholly owned subsidiaries. The wholly owned subsidiaries of the holding company are Arkansas Western Gas Company, a gas utility; SEECO, Inc., an Arkansas based gas exploration and production company; Southwestern Energy Production Company (formerly Arkansas Western Production Company), an oil and gas exploration and production company with offices in Texas and Arkansas; Diamond "M" Production Company, a Texas based oil and gas exploration and production company; Southwestern Energy Services Company, an Oklahoma based gas marketing company; Southwestern Energy Pipeline Company, a corporation that owns a minority interest in the NOARK Pipeline System Limited Partnership (NOARK), which indirectly owns an interstate natural gas pipeline in Arkansas and Oklahoma; and A. W. Realty Company, an Arkansas real estate company which holds real estate interests. Arkansas Gas Gathering Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of SEECO, Inc., and is currently inactive. The main location of Arkansas Western Gas Company is 1001 Sain Street, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701. SEECO, Inc., Arkansas Gas Gathering Company, and A. W. Realty Company, occupy the same location as that of Claimant. The main location of Southwestern Energy Production Company and Diamond "M" Production Company is 2350 North Sam Houston Parkway East, Suite 300, Houston, Texas 77032. The main location of Southwestern Energy Services Company and Southwestern Energy Pipeline Company is 2200 Mid-Continent Tower, 401 South Boston, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103. All of the Claimant's subsidiaries, with the exception of Diamond "M" Production Company, are Arkansas corporations with Southwestern Energy Production Company being authorized to do business in Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Louisiana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, New Mexico, Mississippi and Nebraska. SEECO, Inc., has authority to operate only in Arkansas. Arkansas Western Gas Company is also authorized to do business in Missouri, although it has sold all of its Missouri operations effective May 31, 2000, and Southwestern Energy Pipeline Company is also authorized to do business in Oklahoma. Southwestern Energy Services Company is also authorized to do business in Oklahoma, Louisiana and Texas. Diamond "M" Production Company is a Delaware corporation authorized to do business in Texas. 2. Claimant, Southwestern Energy Company, is the parent company and owns beneficially and of record 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of stock of its seven subsidiaries. Arkansas Western Gas Company (AWG), Claimant's only public utility subsidiary, operates 5,062 miles of pipeline. This system includes, in Arkansas, a gathering and storage system with 386 miles of pipeline, 984 miles of transmission pipeline and 3,692 miles of distribution pipeline. -2- AWG's northwest Arkansas gas utility system gathers its gas supply in Arkansas from the Arkoma Basin where it also provides distribution service to communities in that area, including the towns of Ozark and Clarksville. AWG's transmission and distribution lines extend north and supply communities in the northwest part of the state, including the towns of Fayetteville, Springdale and Rogers. AWG's service area also extends to the east to the Harrison and Mountain Home areas. This eastern section of the AWG system receives a portion of its gas supply from a lateral line off of the Ozark Pipeline System. Through its division, Associated Natural Gas Company (Associated), AWG provides distribution of natural gas to communities in northeast Arkansas. Major communities served in northeast Arkansas include Blytheville, Piggott and Osceola. The Associated distribution system also served the "bootheel" area in southeast Missouri prior to the sale of its Missouri assets on May 31, 2000, including the communities of Sikeston, New Madrid and Caruthersville, and extended north to the Jackson area. In addition, prior to May 31, 2000, Associated provided service to Butler, Missouri, near the state's western border, and Kirksville, Missouri, near the state's northern border, through connections off of interstate pipelines in those areas. The Company previously served approximately 48,000 customers in Missouri. 3. Arkansas Western Gas Company made gas sales for the 12 months ended December 31, 2000, as follows: (a) Natural gas distributed at retail: Average Utility Sales Consumers Mcf Sales ------------- --------- --- ----- Residential 134,099 10,947,779 $ 79,441,092 Commercial 18,371 7,627,412 47,003,749 Industrial 257 3,488,270 18,149,834 ------- ---------- ------------- Total 152,727 22,063,461 $ 144,594,675 ======== ========== ============= (b) The public utility subsidiary distributed 2,740,694 Mcf of natural gas for revenues of $16,302,494 to retail customers in the state of Missouri. (c) The public utility subsidiary distributed 224,483 Mcf of natural gas for revenues of $1,003,631 to industrial customers in the state if Missouri. (d) The public utility subsidiary purchased outside the state of Arkansas 7,100,274 Mcf of natural gas costing $26,604,108 and utilized the services of interstate pipelines to deliver the gas to its service territory or to storage facilities pending later delivery. 4. The Claimant holds no direct or indirect interest in an EWG or a foreign utility company. EXHIBIT A Consolidating Statements of Income and Surplus along with Consolidating Balance Sheets for the year ended December 31, 2000. EXHIBIT B Financial Data Schedule for the year ended December 31, 2000. EXHIBIT C The Claimant holds no direct or indirect interest in an EWG or a foreign utility company. - 3 - The above named Claimant has caused this statement to be duly executed on its behalf by its authorized officer on this 28th day of February, 2001. SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY By: /s/ GREG D. KERLEY ---------------------------- Greg D. Kerley Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer ATTEST: /s/ GEORGE A. TAAFFE -------------------------- George A. Taaffe Secretary Notices and correspondence concerning this statement should be addressed to: Greg D. Kerley, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Southwestern Energy Company P.O. Box 1408 Fayetteville, Arkansas 72702-1408 SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF INCOME FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2000 (in thousands) Southwestern Diamond Southwestern Southwestern Arkansas Energy "M" A.W. Energy Energy Western Gas Production Production Realty Pipeline Company Company SEECO, Inc. Company Company Company Company ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ --------- -------- ------------ Operating Revenues: Gas sales $ - $ 144,595 $ 54,560 $ 36,316 $ 147 $ - $ - Gas marketing - - - - - - - Oil sales - - - 12,445 3,093 - - Gas transportation - 4,901 - - - - - Other - 1,739 4,359 - - 448 - ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ --------- -------- ------------ - 151,235 58,919 48,761 3,240 448 - ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ --------- -------- ------------ Operating Costs and Expenses: Gas purchases - utility - 93,992 - - - - - Gas purchases - marketing - - - - - - - Operating and general - 33,128 7,891 15,240 2,448 341 50 Unusual items - - 111,288 - - - - Depreciation, depletion and amortization - 6,625 12,947 25,173 928 90 (3) Taxes, other than income - 2,834 119 5,307 164 27 2 ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ --------- -------- ------------ - 136,579 132,245 45,720 3,540 458 49 ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ --------- -------- ------------ Operating Income (Loss) - 14,656 (73,326) 3,041 (300) (10) (49) ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ --------- -------- ------------ Interest Expense: Interest on long-term debt 24,089 - - - - - - Intercompany interest (7,915) 4,185 2,563 410 (35) 68 738 Other interest charges 1,111 441 4 2 - - - Interest capitalized - (18) (337) (2,092) - - - ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ --------- -------- ------------ 17,285 4,608 2,230 (1,680) (35) 68 738 ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ --------- -------- ------------ Other Income (Expense) 14,850 2,599 (342) 32 - 685 (1,767) ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ --------- -------- ------------ Income (Loss) before Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes (2,435) 12,647 (75,898) 4,753 (265) 607 (2,554) Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes (6,587) 4,869 (22,420) (5,242) 62 203 (702) ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ --------- -------- ------------ Extraordinary Loss due to early Retirement of L-T Debt (Net of Tax) - - - (862) - (29) - Net Income (Loss) $ 4,152 $ 7,778 $ (53,478) $ 9,133 $ (327) $ 375 $ (1,852) ============ =========== =========== ============ ========= ======== ============ SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF INCOME FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2000 (in thousands) Southwestern Energy Services Company Eliminations Consolidated ------------ ------------ ------------ Operating Revenues: Gas sales $ - $ (35,349)(b) $ 200,269 Gas marketing 207,748 (70,514)(b) 137,234 Oil sales - - 15,538 Gas transportation - - 4,901 Other - (604)(c) 5,942 ------------ ------------ ------------ 207,748 (106,467) 363,884 ------------ ------------ ------------ Operating Costs and Expenses: Gas purchases - utility - (35,323)(b)(c) 58,669 Gas purchases - marketing 203,735 (70,514)(b) 133,221 Operating and general 1,382 (690)(c) 59,790 Unusual items - - 111,288 Depreciation, depletion and amortization 109 - 45,869 Taxes, other than income 62 - 8,515 ------------ ------------ ------------ 205,288 (106,527) 417,352 ------------ ------------ ------------ Operating Income (Loss) 2,460 60 (53,468) ------------ ------------ ------------ Interest Expense: Interest on long-term debt - - 24,089 Intercompany interest (14) - - Other interest charges 30 - 1,588 Interest capitalized - - (2,447) ------------ ------------ ------------ 16 - 23,230 ------------ ------------ ------------ Other Income (Expense) - (14,060)(c)(d) 1,997 ------------ ------------ ------------ Income (Loss) Before Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes 2,444 (14,000) (74,701) Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes 912 - (28,905) ------------ ------------ ------------ Extraordinary Loss due to early Retirement of L-T Debt (Net of Tax) - - (891) Net Income (Loss) $ 1,532 $ (14,000) $ (46,687) ============ ============ ============(b) To eliminate intercompany sales and purchases. (c) To eliminate intercompany income and expense items. (d) To eliminate intercompany dividends. SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET DECEMBER 31, 2000 (in thousands) Southwestern Diamond Southwestern Southwestern Arkansas Energy "M" A.W. Energy Energy Western Gas Production Production Realty Pipeline Company Company SEECO, Inc. Company Company Company Company ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ ---------- -------- ------------ Assets Current Assets: Cash $ 1,489 $ 846 $ - $ 50 $ - $ - $ - Accounts receivable 288 36,349 3,028 16,468 158 3 - Intercompany accounts receivable 64,612 - (44,475) (6,826) 761 (797) (10,314) Income taxes receivable 265 - - - - - - Inventories, at average cost - 10,339 6,661 - - - - Other 1,613 14,275 (3) 280 (3) 1 - ------------ ---------- ----------- ------------ ---------- -------- ------------ Total Current Assets 68,267 61,809 (34,789) 9,972 916 (793) (10,314) ------------ ---------- ----------- ------------ ---------- -------- ------------ Investments: Investment in subsidiaries, at cost 417,967 - - - - - - Other - - - - - 49 15,525 ------------ ---------- ----------- ------------ ---------- -------- ------------ 417,967 - - - - 49 15,525 ------------ ---------- ----------- ------------ ---------- -------- ------------ Property, Plant and Equipment: Oil and gas properties, using the full cost method - - 272,711 591,974 7,338 - - Gas utility system - 190,893 - - - - - Gas in underground storage - 11,818 16,049 - - - - Other 15,427 878 233 5,076 - 5,939 - ------------ ---------- ----------- ------------ ---------- -------- ------------ 15,427 203,589 288,993 597,050 7,338 5,939 - Less - Accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization 11,987 80,707 150,214 305,947 4,660 895 - ------------ ---------- ----------- ------------ ---------- -------- ------------ 3,440 122,882 138,779 291,103 2,678 5,044 - ------------ ---------- ----------- ------------ ---------- -------- ------------ Other Assets 7,625 4,119 168 903 25 2 - ------------ ---------- ----------- ------------ ---------- -------- ------------ $ 497,299 $ 188,810 $ 104,158 $ 301,978 $ 3,619 $ 4,302 $ 5,211 ============ ========== =========== ============ ========== ======== ============ SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET DECEMBER 31, 2000 (in thousands) Southwestern Energy Services Company Eliminations Consolidated ------------ ------------ ------------ Assets Current Assets: Cash $ 1 $ - $ 2,386 Accounts receivable 20,747 - 77,041 Intercompany accounts receivable (2,961) - - Income taxes receivable - - 265 Inventories, at average cost - - 17,000 Other - - 16,163 ------------ ------------ ------------ Total Current Assets 17,787 - 112,855 ------------ ------------ ------------ Investments: Investment in subsidiaries, at cost - (417,967)(a) - Other - - 15,574 ------------ ------------ ------------ - (417,967) 15,574 ------------ ------------ ------------ Property, Plant and Equipment: Oil and gas properties, using the full cost method - - 872,023 Gas utility system - - 190,893 Gas in underground storage - - 27,867 Other 387 - 27,940 ------------ ------------ ------------ 387 - 1,118,723 Less - Accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization 206 - 554,616 ------------ ------------ ------------ 181 - 564,107 ------------ ------------ ------------ Other Assets - - 12,842 ------------ ------------ ------------ $ 17,968 $ (417,967) $ 705,378 ============ ============ ============(a) To eliminate investment in subsidiaries. SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET (continued) DECEMBER 31, 2000 (in thousands) Southwestern Diamond Southwestern Southwestern Arkansas Energy "M" A.W. Energy Energy Western Gas Production Production Realty Pipeline Company Company SEECO, Inc. Company Company Company Company ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ ---------- -------- ------------ Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Current Liabilities: Short-term debt $ 171,000 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - Accounts payable 12,422 12,743 8,929 7,319 110 - - Taxes payable 558 2,918 386 108 - 66 - Interest payable 2,657 150 - - - - - Customer deposits - 4,799 - - - - - Other (10,557) 11,946 144 626 - - - ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ ---------- -------- ------------ Total Current Liabilities 176,080 32,556 9,459 8,053 110 66 - ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ ---------- -------- ------------ Long-Term Debt, less current portion 225,000 64,658 - - - - - ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ ---------- -------- ------------ Other Liabilities: Deferred income taxes (54,507) 19,966 44,127 74,842 (523) 444 11,720 Deferred investment tax credits - 1,314 - - - - - Other 450 527 - 795 - - - ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ ---------- -------- ------------ (54,057) 21,807 44,127 75,637 (523) 444 11,720 ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ ---------- -------- ------------ Shareholders' Equity: Common stock 2,774 24,214 8,244 1 - 1 2 Additional paid-in capital 20,220 29,000 22,000 253,545 6,999 1,728 7,573 Retained earnings 157,338 16,575 20,328 (35,258) (2,967) 2,063 (14,084) Common stock in treasury, at cost (28,485) - - - - - - Unamortized cost of restricted shares issued under stock incentive plan (1,571) - - - - - - ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ --------- -------- ------------ 150,276 69,789 50,572 218,288 4,032 3,792 (6,509) ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ --------- -------- ------------ $ 497,299 $ 188,810 $ 104,158 $ 301,978 $ 3,619 $ 4,302 $ 5,211 ============ =========== =========== ============ ========= ======== ============ SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET (continued) DECEMBER 31, 2000 (in thousands) Southwestern Energy Services Company Eliminations Consolidated ------------ ------------ ------------ Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Current Liabilities: Short-term debt $ - $ - $ 171,000 Accounts payable 12,781 - 54,304 Taxes payable 310 - 4,346 Interest payable - - 2,807 Customer deposits - - 4,799 Other 470 - 2,629 ------------ ------------ ------------ Total Current Liabilities 13,561 - 239,885 ------------ ------------ ------------ Long-Term Debt, less current portion - (64,658)(a) 225,000 ------------ ------------ ------------ Other Liabilities: Deferred income taxes 48 - 96,117 Deferred investment tax credits - - 1,314 Other - - 1,772 ------------ ------------ ------------ 48 - 99,203 ------------ ------------ ------------ Shareholders' Equity: Common stock 2 (32,464)(a) 2,774 Additional paid-in capital - (320,845)(a) 20,220 Retained earnings 4,357 - 148,352 Common stock in treasury, at cost - - (28,485) Unamortized cost of restricted shares issued under stock incentive plan - - (1,571) ------------ ------------ ------------ 4,359 (353,309) 141,290 ------------ ------------ ------------ $ 17,968 $ (417,967) $ 705,378 ============ ============ ============(a) To eliminate investment in subsidiaries. SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF RETAINED EARNINGS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2000 (in thousands) Southwestern Diamond Southwestern Southwestern Arkansas Energy "M" A.W. Energy Energy Western Gas Production Production Realty Pipeline Company Company SEECO, Inc. Company Company Company Company ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ ---------- -------- ------------ RETAINED EARNINGS, beginning of year $ 156,190 $ 22,797 $ 73,806 $ (44,391) $ (2,640) $ 1,688 $ (12,232) Net income (loss) 4,152 7,778 (53,478) 9,133 (327) 375 (1,852) Cash dividends (3,004) (14,000) - - - - - ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------ ---------- -------- ------------ RETAINED EARNINGS, end of year $ 157,338 $ 16,575 $ 20,328 $ (35,258) $ (2,967) $ 2,063 $ (14,084) ============ =========== =========== ============ ========== ======== ============ SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF RETAINED EARNINGS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2000 (in thousands) Southwestern Energy Services Company Eliminations Consolidated ------------ ------------ ------------ RETAINED EARNINGS, beginning of year $ 2,825 $ - $ 198,043 Net income (loss) 1,532 (14,000)(d) (46,687) Cash dividends - 14,000 (d) (3,004) ------------ ------------ ------------ RETAINED EARNINGS, end of year $ 4,357 $ - $ 148,352 ============ ============ ============(d) To eliminate intercompany dividends.